Saturday, June 26, 2010

Birthday Bash in the Big Apple

When you have a Texan in town you better be prepared for an appetite as big as the Lone Star State. Luckily NYC's hottest ramen joint Ippudo steps up to the plate and delivers like Jeter with the bases loaded in the Bronx.

Screw the birthday cake, I'll take another order of pork buns thanks.

A glorious day for a cruise on the Hudson. Jared seems to be struggling to find his sea legs. Perhaps someone should point out we in fact haven't even cast off yet.


Ah ha! The big birthday surprise is revealed. Or at least it's revealed to the readers of this blog, since the protagonists long since guessed what was going down. Pylons like that can only mean one thing: Captain America Sully Sullenberger is going to be making a celebrity belly landing on the Hudson.

Actually, it means the Red Bull Air Race is making its first appearance over the Big Apple (technically New Jersey, but let's face it, there's a reason there grandstands are set up to look back over the river).

A perfect day for a bit of low level flying. This city has come a long way since that dark day almost 10 years ago. Alas, two towering landmarks will be forever missing from this famous skyline.

Who's up for a bit of croquet at 230mph?

I feel the need, the need for speed. Unfortunately aviator shades don't come with a pilot's license.

Holding an air race in the middle of some of the most congested airspace in the world is no mean feat. LaGuardia flight path down one side, Newark down the other, and JFK right over the top.

The cameras are armed and ready to roll. Apart from Jared's, which is at the bottom of a river somewhere in Texas.

And they're away! Against the spectacular backdrop of downtown Manhattan some of the world's best pilots take a white-knuckled ride around the obstacle course.

Lower, take her lower. If you're not tearing up spinnakers you're way too high.

Off I go, into the wild blue yonder! They're pulling 10G at the top of the loop.

Is it the red one or the blue one next? Hmmm, don't suppose I have time to hit Google maps? Oh oh.

"You are cleared into the track. Smoke on!" The ATC is almost as cool as the pilots.

Not much time to admire the scenery. Those gates are closer together than Starbucks in midtown.

Speaking of scenery. Red Bull isn't the only thing that will give you...err.. wings.

But enough of the spectating, time to get a piece of the action. JNR 1982 heavy, you are cleared for takeoff on runway 28R over. Roger tower, this is JNR 1982 heavy starting takeoff roll over.

If you're going to bag someone for sending their camera to the bottom of a Texan river, best make sure you remember to charge your own batteries before taking the flight of a lifetime over the spectacular island of Manhattan. Yep, that's right, better head over to Two Phat to see the rest of the flight...

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

The Maine Event

Ok, it's not really the Maine event, seeing as it follows four days on heels of Paris. But Rock is never one to let a groan-worthy pun slip by. He had a Kenny Mayne joke lined up too, but there aren't enough Sportscenter fans reading this blog. Because let's face it, if you have Sportscenter you'd most certainly we watching it instead of trawling the web to read about other people having fun.

Echo Base for Memorial Day 2010, a quaint cottage perched on the edge of a serene inlet of the Atlantic in Acadia National Park, Maine.

Step lively men this isn't a pleasure cruise! Err... permission to speak freely sir, I was kinda sure this was supposed to be, like, a holiday?

Half way up Acadia Mountain Trail. Actually this is probably only one eighth of the way up, if you count the hour on the end wandering around lost in the forest.

Whew, keeping up with the Phats is hard work. This whole travel every weekend deal is getting old fast. Although Rock's critics would point out it's most likely something or someone else getting old fast.

Hard to believe it was just five days ago that we were atop the Eiffel Tower on the other side of this big ocean.

Now would be a good time to make a deep and meaningful comment about man's insignificance in the grand scheme of things. Now would also be a good time to raid the granola bar stash while the womenfolk are otherwise occupied.

Looks like prime lobster territory to me.

It sure is! They don't come any fresher than a 2 lb Maine lobster in... well... Maine.

Seems they forget that this is supposed to be the first day of summer up in these parts. Out here things move to their own schedule. Which evidently is different from the schedule in Rock's blackberry.

Day 2 dawns warm and sunny. The perfect day for exploring one of America's most unheralded National Parks.

Not a bad way to kick things off.

Don't forget the last stop for this current was the north pole. It may look refreshing, but it's only one phase change removed from an ice cube.

Scenic. If it was any more awesome they'd call it a patisserie.

Nothing like the great outdoors is there? Except for the great indoors in front of a big ass TV.


Jeepers, this hot rod is so fast she'll blast your pants off.

Carbo loading (hey, sugar is a carb) before today's big excursion.

Skirts secure, ladies? Sir, YES SIR!

Unlike the good folk over at TwoPhat, J00ster knows that waterproof bags are useful for more than keeping salt and vinegar chips dry. Hence our continued ability to offer you these riveting photos.

Capt'n, the for'ard engine ain't going no more.

Full steam ahead! Pshaw, icebergs are what I put in my coke.

There's nothing like being out on the open sea. Except being out on a secluded inlet where you don't have to worry about 20 foot North Atlantic waves.

No wonder the critics are questioning whether the coveted J00ster rating is being devalued. Just because this beach is better than the windswept gravel that passes for a beach in Jersey, that doesn't mean it's Bondi. The sans-bikini count is exactly zero.

The green room. Except without an annoying Ryan Seacrest prancing about.

The Beehive Mountain climb is a mad scramble up a sheer cliff. For the most litigious society in the world, there is a surprising lack of railings. I guess it's hard to sue nature, although not for lack of trying no doubt.

Welcome to the roof of the world. The summit affords spectacular views over the surrounding islands and inlets that make up the park.

Welcome to the roof of the world. No, not the one that the People's Liberation Army is busy sanitizing right now.

Mei's not used to being so tall.

Hey, it's like Peru, only without the dysentery.